A Forgotten Tomorrow
by Angel1188
Summary: Some stories have a happy ending but most don't. In the midst of war, can two people rekindle the love that was broken by a mistake? SelphiexIrvine


A Forgotten Tomorrow

Chapter 1: The Summons

**Disclaimer: Final Fantasy 8 does not belong to me. I use it for my own pleasure, and hopefully for those who take the time to read my tinkering.**

Author's Notes: Hello there! I know I have a few other projects in the works (which I haven't forgotten about!) but I haven't done an FF8 piece in a really long time and in replaying the game I found myself intrigued by the Irvine/Selphie relationship and what a war and heartbreak could do to change Selphie's cheerful nature. I've found she's grown on my as a character recently and I wanted to take the time to explore her more. So I hope you all enjoy!

The breeze tickled her curled chestnut locks against the gentle slope of her neck. Graceful, perhaps even fragile, in appearance but not in disposition. No, in her heart she was a warrior, born amidst the blood and death that had surrounded her since she was a small child. If there had ever been the chance for her to be anything else, it had long since passed under the mark of being one of the Fated Children.

Selphie Tilmitt turned away from the balcony's beckoning allure, the smell of the salty ocean air a balm to the nervousness that teetered through her small body. Perhaps a bonus for being a hero, she was granted one of the best rooms that Garden had to offer. A suite, more than a standard SeeD dormitory, she had more space than she knew what to do with having lived such a practical and utilitarian life for so long.

But true to her own nature, upon being awarded such rooms on her return to Balamb Garden with her friends, she had thrown herself into their redecorating, turning sterile white walls into bright murals of places she had visited in her travels around the world. The rolling hills of Timber and the beautiful forests surrounding it graced one wall while the dark, mysterious delights of Deling framed another. Historic and breathtaking architecture from Dollet and the futuristic wonder of Esthar all reminded her of where she had come from and there she would continue to go. So many places and yet so few walls. Every corner of her new apartment was covered with some memory, perhaps even a way of confronting some of those that haunted her sleep at night.

Flopping herself down in a chair in her small dining area - really no more than an open space somewhere between the galley kitchen and the beginnings of a living room - Selphie reached for the standard black boots that matched her SeeD uniform. She was to report to the Bridge at 0800 hours for a mission briefing. It seems that even in saving the world from a time compressing, evil sorceress, there was still always something else that needed saving.

One hand rubbed against her stiff neck. Maybe she should start thinking about retiring. It was a future that very few SeeDs ever got to consider since they usually ended up dead first, but... if you survived long enough to be one of the best, you were paid accordingly and Selphie already had quite a nest egg set aside. Maybe she could even start thinking of another career. Something that would match her cheerful spirit and love of parties. Before she could stop herself, a laugh that sounded far too bitter for her came tumbling past her lips. She was a soldier. There was no other future for her outside of that. And even the cheerful disposition had taken a hit after... well, after everything. Was it just a phase that she was going through or had seeing everything really changed her so much for good?

_Selphie Tilmitt, please report to the Bridge. _

Snapping out of her own thoughts, her bright green eyes flashed to the clock. Confusion appeared when the face blinked back at her 7:29. She had thirty-one minutes before she was supposed to meet Squall and Cid. Something must have changed. Tugging her boots on hastily, she grabbed an apple from a basket on the table as she ran out the door. As she went passing by the Training Center, another announcement came ringing through the halls of Garden.

_Irvine Kinneas, Quistis Trepe and Zell Dincht please report to the Bridge._

Selphie's brows drew together with concern. All of them being summoned at once? That hadn't happened once since they had saved the world two years ago. She sped up, nearly colliding with Zell in his haste as he came running out of the library.

"Agh, sorry Selph!" Zell shouted, catching the slender girl's wrist to catch her before she went sliding across the floor as her body twisted to avoid the hit.

"Do you know what the call's about?" Selphie asked, bringing her pace down to a more sedate trot as they entered the main area and headed up the stairs to wait for the elevator.

Zell just shook his head. "Squall didn't say a thing about a mission last night when we trained. I was supposed to be off docket for the next two weeks to put some of the lower ranking SeeDs on rotation so they had a chance to bump their rankings up. Was looking forward to a break and catching up on regulations."

Selphie made a face. "By regulations, you mean catching up on midnight raids of the cafeteria hotdogs," she corrected, even as Zell ducked his head to hide the affirming blush.

As they waited for the elevator - where was the damned thing anyway - Selphie shifted back and forth on her feet, stretching out her legs impatiently. "Did Irvy train with you guys last night?" she asked hesitantly. Even saying his name felt like a knife twisting through her heart.

"You really should talk to him, Selph," Zell replied, reaching out to lay a comforting hand on her shoulder. He drew her in to a hug, holding her close. Selphie found herself comforted by the touch - not in any romantic way, but the way an older brother might have made her feel if she'd ever had one. But that wasn't true. She did have two brothers. Two she loved as if they were her own flesh and blood. Just as she had two sisters. They _were_ the Fated Children, after all. A family bonded together by more than war.

"We said everything we had to say to each other six months ago, Zell," Selphie shook her head, fingers curling her hair around one digit. "There's nothing left there."

"Did you all break the elevator or something?" a painfully familiar voice asked from behind the pair, a tall shadow cast down from the florescent lights. "What's this call for so early in the morning?"

Selphie's fingers twitched towards her Nunchaku, safely tucked away in its sheath against her back. "Irvine," was her strained greeting. "It's not early, it's 0740. SeeD regulations says that you should be awake and presentable by 0600." She had to bite her tongue to make a comment about his ever following regulation or doing anything that wasn't his own way.

Irvine flipped his non-regulation ponytail over his shoulder, coming up on Selphie's side. "Come on now, Sefie, now you're starting to sound like Quistis. We can only hav one Quisty in this group."

"You make it seem like sounding like me is a bad thing," said blonde mused, joining the small group at the elevator. Quistis squinted at the elevator. "I swear, this thing gets slower every day. We're really going to need to put in for repairs soon."

"You know I wouldn't ever say anything bad about you, Quis," Irvine said with his most charming smile. "Especially not when you have Save the Queen near you," as he motioned toward the carefully coiled whip that hung at her side.

Before Selphie could find some reason for taking the stairs up, the elevator doors opened, pouring junior classmen out as they escaped their homerooms and headed off for different classes. With no other choice, she entered the elevator with her friends and Irvine. She stood still as the doors closed, holding herself stiffly as the cowboy wrangled a spot right next to her, one of his arms brushing gently against hers.

"I was thinking, Selph," Irvine drawled in a low voice. "Maybe you could help me out on Friday night. I drew patrol in the Training Center. We could bust some kids in the Secret Area for fun," he suggested.

Her heart twisted in her chest, threatening to wind itself into a small ball and just bounce away. But her voice remained level and distant. "I have plans on Friday night," was all Selphie said. Was all she could say.

When the elevator doors opened up to the third floor, she bolted out to avoid standing near Irvine for a second longer. It was just a shame that his legs were longer and he caught her before she had gone four steps.

"Will you guys go on in and let Squall know that Selphie and I will be right there?" Irvine asked, keeping a firm grip on Selphie's arm even as she tried to tug her way free.

Both Zell and Quistis looked doubtful but slowly nodded and with a backward glance, deliberately avoiding Selphie's murderous gaze, hurried inside to report to their friend and commanding officer.

"I have nothing to say to you," Selphie spit out in a hiss. "Nothing to say to you EVER again. So let go of my arm before I make you."

"Selph, just listen to me, okay? You've been avoiding me for the last five months," Irvine pleaded. "I want to explain. You never let me explain."

Bright green eyes narrowed dangerously. "There was nothing to explain. So don't even bother trying. It's over and in the past. Just leave it that way."

When Irvine's mouth opened again to try and plead his case further, the next words out of Selphie's mouth stopped him dead.

"_Please_. Please don't push it any further, Irvy. I just... I can't." She wrenched her arm out of his grip and ran into the office.

Irvine just stared after the little brunette woman who had stolen his heart years ago when they had just been children. "Selphie..." he whispered to the open air, tipping his hat brim lower to cover his eyes before strolling in at a more sedate pace.

_Six months ago_

"If I never see another Ruby Dragon again, it will be too soon," Zell complained as he lounged in the co-pilot's chair aboard the Ragnarok. His feet were propped up against the dash as he completely ignored the seering looks he was routinely receiving from Selphie as she guided the Estharian ship back to Garden.

With a laugh, Selphie bobbed her head up and down, "At least Trabia Garden will be safer for the winter," she pointed out. "But I think I'm in the same boat as you. I'm sick of monsters trying to eat me. I just want to curl up in my own bed and sleep for the next two weeks! Plus, I can't wait to see Irvy. Two months is way too long."

Zell gave the cheerful woman an affectionate smile. "Can't believe his schedule sucked so badly that he couldn't sneak away to come see us for at least a few days. Even Azhele made it out. I'm gonna have to kick the cowboy's ass for you, aren't I?"

Selphie just shook her head. "He's in high demand as a sniper so I understand it. I just really missed him. Even Squall apologized that he had to keep sending Irvy out. Such is our lifestyle though! But Squall promised that he was going to give Irvy two weeks off at the same time as me so we could go away." She beamed. "I'm trying to convince him to go to Esthar. So much to do there."

The martial artist watched as his friend bounced in her seat, even as her hands remained steady on the controls that guided the spaceship. "Did you tell Irvine that we were getting in tonight?" he asked. "Az is meeting me in the Quad and we're having a late night romantic dinner. Or so I was told."

Selphie just shook her head. "Nope! I wanted it to be a surprise for him." The rest of the trip, they chatted about potential places to visit and stay in Esthar for her impending vacation.

Even though she didn't say it, Selphie was also hoping that this trip would be a milestone in their relationship. After all... they had been dating for over a year seriously - they had been living together for the last eight months. Not to mention the fact that Selphie was fairly certain that Irvine was her soul mate, the one she was meant to be with in the end. From childhood sweethearts to heroic warriors together, building their love amidst the fighting chaos that marked their youth. It was a love story almost as good as that of Rinoa and Squall, the tragic sorceress and her gallant knight. So maybe Selphie and Irvine would never be a fairy tale, but she was looking forward to her happily ever after, nonetheless, and this trip she was hoping would lead her closer to it.

For the last few weeks she'd been dropping a few hints about it here and there in their phone calls and emails back and forth. A ring. A promise of commitment and love. That's all she wanted. A lifetime with Irvine. Whether it was for a month or for sixty years.

When the ship settled into its landing bay, Selphie all but barreled the grumpy and exhausted junior classmen who had been out on the training assignment with her and Zell aside in her haste to make it back to the dormitories. Two days early. Wouldn't Irvy be so surprised? She couldn't help but give a little twirl through the halls. It was so good to be home!

The apartment was dark when Selphie unlocked the door. She frowned, looking for the clock she had hung on the wall. 1:20am. It wasn't super late. Irvine was typically a night owl. Was he even home? Maybe he'd gone to hang out with Squall and Rinoa for the night since she wasn't home. A soft rustle from the bedroom. Selphie frowned. Was he sick and in bed already? Concerned, she moved forward, keeping the lights off. Her steps were but whispering shuffles across the tile floor. Their bedroom door was cracked.

Pushing it a little further open, Selphie froze. Everything else was shrouded in blackness, leaving behind only one image in perfect clarity. Irvine settled in their bed with another woman. Even though all they did was sleep, his arms were wrapped so protectively - possessively - around her, as if she were all he needed in this world. A stab of betrayal sank into her gut. The pain of slowly bleeding out with no chance of anyone ever healing the wound. Everything they had ever built together shattered in that one instant.

And all she could do was let out a breathless cry. A mournful sound that became the vocalization of her pain, her hurt and the rising anger that was building up inside of her.

"Irvine?" her voice was oddly detached as she spoke.

Groggy and slightly confused as he was pulled from sleep, Irvine's bleary eyes moved in the direction of the voice. "Sefie doll?" he mumbled, even as his arms tightened around the woman. The connection fired a few moments later as he realized what was going on. His arms immediately released the woman and he was trying to fling himself out of the bed.

"Selphie! You weren't supposed to be home for another few days," Irvine exclaimed, fumbling for something to hide his nakedness. The best he could come up with was using his trademark cowboy hat to hide his manhood.

"This isn't what it looks like. Just let me explain."

"No." Something broke inside of her. The innocence she had clung to in her years as a soldier had finally snapped. Not from the blood. Not from the wounds of war. Not even from her own pains and death all around her. But from the broken heart caused by the only man she had ever trusted enough to give it to.

"Get out of my home. Get out of my life. You have one hour." And she turned and walked out, her eyes focused ahead of her, lights still off so that Irvine couldn't see the silent tears that streaked down her cheeks.


End file.
